1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a filter, and more particularly to a low-pass filter.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, there has been a significant growth in WLAN (wireless local area network) technology due to the ever growing demand of wireless communication products. Such growth becomes particularly prominent after promulgation of IEEE 802.11 WLAN protocol in 1997. IEEE 802.11 WLAN protocol not only offers many novel features to current wireless communications, but also provides a solution of enabling two wireless communication products manufactured by different companies to communicate with each other. As such, the promulgation of IEEE 802.11 WLAN protocol is a milestone in the development of WLAN. Moreover, IEEE 802.11 WLAN protocol ensures that a core product is the only solution of implementing a single chip. Thus, IEEE 802.11 WLAN protocol can significantly reduce the cost of adopting wireless technology so as to enable WLAN to be widely employed in various wireless communication products.
Filters are necessary components of the wireless communication products. Some manufacturers in the art use a waveguide element, such as a microstrip, to act as a filter. The microstrip filter is formed on a printed circuit board of the wireless communication product to diminish harmonic electromagnetic signals. Generally, the wireless communication product is designed to be as small as practicable. Since filters are necessary components of wireless communication products, an approach to reduce the size of a wireless communication product is to reduce the size of the filters used therein.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to reduce the size of filters used in the wireless communication product.